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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-0308 Council Goals MIN City Council - Goal Setting March 8, 2014 Page I of 10 MINUTES FOR THE GOAL SETTING SESSION ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL Saturday, March 8, 2014 Siskiyou Room, 51 Winburn Way Goal Setting began at 8:30 a.m. by Steve Bryant, Project Manager for Oregon Consensus Project. Mayor Stromberg, Councilors Voisin, Morris, Lemhouse, Slattery, Rosenthal and Marsh were present. Staff: City Administrator Dave Kanner and City Attorney Dave Lohman (left 12:30 p.m.) were present. Outline of presentation began as the following: What outcomes will make today worth investing 8 hours of your time? • A longer term plan for moving forward • Agreement on long term goals • Financial strategic ideas that look beyond the current budget cycle • Begin to develop more of a strategic plan • View this as the beginning of the planning process • Get it off to a good start! • Try to get to both the long term goals and some steps for getting there. • Nothing wrong with the current set of goals • Recognize that future councils will have their own thoughts and priorities • Leave with some vision for the future that we can pass on • Have some follow-up strategic planning with departments, boards and commissions, etc. • Look at big picture • Build bridges to other boards and commissions • Strengthen regional relationships Councilors were asked to consider the following: In 2025 Ashland will be renowned as a city that... . • Embraces sustainability • Supports arts, conservation • A downtown that others would die to have • A city that is resilient-systems that are diverse, families thrive, diverse economy and infrastructure that relies on a variety of sources • Maintain what is already good! • A more diverse economic portfolio • Young families see themselves living here long into the future • Capitalize on Oregon's reputation as an innovative place to do business City Council - Goal Setting March 8, 2014 Page 2 of 10 • Ashland becomes the new place in Oregon where new sustainable high tech ideas are incubated • A city that is willing to be and is known for innovation • A place where people want to live and want to raise their families here • A community that creates opportunity out of challenge • A community that is innovative in approaching issues that are common among communities and is responsibly progressive. Is ahead of climate change in policy and infrastructure • A community that is a cooperative city based on buying local and keeping wealth in our community • Is a city that is affordable for the working class and working poor • Ashland has one of the most rigorous conservation plans in the state for energy and water • We will have achieved incorporation of a variety of ideas and views for making sustainability work • Being in government is something that people are excited about and we draw the be best people into government • Increasing citizens recognize and appreciate the excellent exhibited by city government and as such they see themselves as part of good governance-citizens are fully engaged • We are known as a model for other cities because we are forward thinking in our infrastructure management • We are doing a good job in dealing with issues that previous councils didn't want to deal with • We buy local • We grow internally and have good succession plans in place • We tackle tough problems and take care of them! • We are professional in all that we do • We set an example of other communities Observations shared on interviews with Council and staff: • You have really good city council and staff members who want basically the same things for Ashland. In fact, the common themes were surprisingly similar and can provide the basis for consensus agreement on the general areas of needed emphasis. • Each of you has a deep commitment to the city of Ashland based on its unique attributes that keep you engaged, and you are equally passionate about its future. That passion is commonly rooted in wanting to protect all that is good about living here while also desiring a future that promises a high quality of life for those who wish to call Ashland their home 20 years from now. • You have similar interests in using this process as the beginning step of developing a more comprehensive strategic plan for guiding the future of the city-influencing both short and long- term decision making; however, the immediate focus of this process should be on longer-term goals. City Council - Goal Setting March 8, 2014 Page 3 of 10 • To increase your effectiveness as a governing body in making progress toward the long-term goals, you agree that some future work may be needed to improve both internal communication dynamics and external communications with the public. The following are typical elements of a good strategic plan for public organizations: 1. A focused effort to conduct a thorough SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis. a. Process should be integrated/iterative between council and staff b. Council leads community SWOT analysis c. Empower the staff the be honest with the council in the SWOT analysis d. Avoid "us vs. them" mentality e. Respect the roles of council and staff 2. A well crafted mission and organizational values statement that has a high level of ownership short list of major goal topics. a. Develop the mission statement after other elements of the strategic plan evolve. b. Develop organizational values from the bottom up. c. Council may need to articulate community values that guide development of long-term goals. d. Council may also need to articulate council values that guide group behaviors and actions e. Needs to happen after SWOT and before finalizing goals 3. Agreement on a relatively short list of high-priority mid to long-term goals (2-6 years, occasionally longer) and re-visit at least every two years. 4. Agreement on short-term (1-2 year) objectives necessary to make progress toward the mid to long-term goals. a. SWOT analysis annually b. Review short-term objectives annually 5. Listing of specific and measurable organizational tactics and implementation measures necessary to achieve the objectives and, ultimately, the goals. a. Quarterly reports b. Check in with City Council 6. A systematic plan for measuring progress and modifying, as necessary, the goals, objectives and tactics. a. Quarterly reports-put them on Council agendas b. Citizen surveys c. Administrative measures d. Both council and staff may need to seek clarification on how progress should be measured e. Council needs to provide feedback mechanisms for ensuring that staff has clarification f Use boards and commissions as a primary information source for decision-making and measurement g. Develop both qualitative and quantitative measures City Council - Goal Setting March 8, 2014 Page 4 of 10 Frequently mentioned themes for Ashland's future: 1) Leader in innovation in land use, economic development, and resource management 2) Maintain a continuous focus on community sustainability actions a) Seek energy independence/neutrality b) Seek to become more self-reliant c) Focus on measures to achieve a high-level of self-reliance for goods and services d) Seek to achieve carbon neutrality e) Anticipate the effects of climate change and plan accordingly t) Engage in sustainable forestry practices g) Fully implement the Ashland Forest Resiliency Project h) Examine "STAR" Community Sustainability Planning Framework 3) Maintaining and improving Ashland's high quality of life is paramount a) Protect and enhance the natural, cultural and recreational resources that make Ashland unique b) Build on Ashland's "sense of place" and small town feel c) Strengthen partnerships and programs that enable all citizens to meet their basic needs 4) Promoting and achieving a "family friendly" community a) Pursue affordable housing opportunities, especially workforce housing commensurate with local employment opportunities b) Seek pathways for SOU graduates to remain in the community c) Address "aging in place" issues and needs 5) Overall excellence in "governance" becomes the recognized norm. a) A sustained focus on leadership development-both internally and externally b) Establishment of collaborative community and regional partnerships c) Effective citizen communication and engagement d) There is a high level of tolerance for all viewpoints e) Governance that is transparent f) Boards and commissions are fully engaged in supporting the strategic plan g) Increase effectiveness in regional and state policy arenas h) Become more regionally connected i) Charter is updated based on "best practices" j) Empower community partners to help achieve the goals 6) Achieve excellence in infrastructure management and modernization a) Recognize the constraints of the watershed and plan accordingly b) Complete the downtown transportation plan element c) Replace City Hall with consolidated office space that is safe,, welcoming, fosters improved communications and serves the community long into the future d) Work to keep utilities efficient and affordable 7) Creation of new economic opportunities and diversification while strengthening support of Ashland's existing economic base a) Examine and remove certain barriers to business start-up opportunities b) Create predictable pathways for development of employment lands I City Council - Goal Setting March 8, 2014 Page 5 of 10 c) Take advantage of new technologies for which Ashland is primed based on its fiber network, workforce, and other assets 8) Efficient, innovative and affordable public services 9) Comprehensive review and common understanding of core services, service levels and financial resources a) The community is engaged in a conversation about core services, desired service levels and alternative or more efficient funding mechanisms. b) A sustainable model is developed for parks and recreation services that commensurate with the prioritization, funding and administration of other core city services. 10) Provide for the immediate and long-term public safety needs of the community Ashland SWOT (Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats) - EXERCISE 1) Strengths a) Talented citizens b) Purity of the water c) Cultural opportunities d) Full spectrum of education opportunities e) People feel safe here f) Innovative businesses g) Lively downtown h) Natural environment i) Walkability, j) Climate k) Abundance of world-class parks 1) Cultural assets m) Know our neighborhoods-strong neighborhoods n) Small town feel o) The Shakespeare festival alone has over 100,000 visitors each year p) City staff is experienced and excellent q) Ashland is well-known r) People come from everywhere to be here-both visitors and permanent residents s) The same people have been coming to visit here for many years t) Involved citizenry u) The town is small enough that our problems are not intractable v) We have a very charitable community w) Our citizens are self-confident x) We are at a size where it is still possible to do things face to face y) The community holds their elected officials accountable z) We are an easy one-day drive to Portland and S.F. aa) We are forward thinking/progressive bb) Unique political make-up cc) High diversity of activities City Council - Goal Setting March 8, 2014 Page 6 of 10 i) Recreation ii) Tourism iii) Social activities iv) Political activities v) Faith-based dd) High quality and diverse/alternative health care systems ee) Proximity to increasingly strong and well-know wine industry ff) Excellent culinary options gg) Smithsonian Lemelson Center for American History Museum 2015 exhibit studying AFR and other local creative invention and innovation ideas hh) Building film industry ii) International businesses J) City services not found in other places kk) Local control over critical infrastructure 11) City amenities and services that many cities don't have mm) Relatively low property taxes nn) Unique chamber of commerce oo) Large number of community activities and festivals pp) Long history of socially responsible chamber of commerce qq) Large number of service organizations that are focused on the community rr) Healthy, active, highly educated senior population ss) Compact urban form tt) Excellent community facilities uu) High citizen retention rate vv) Strong financial position compared with other jurisdictions ww) Proximity to Medford xx) City is visually attractive 2) Weaknesses a) We lose families when they reach their 30s b) We have a male-dominated senior staff c) The community lacks racial diversity d) Public discourse can get hurtful/disrespectful e) Huge gap between town and gown f) We lack economic diversity g) We are not view as an easy place to develop h) High cost of living/affordable housing/land/etc. i) Lack of family wage jobs j) Drug and alcohol addiction k) Lack of available and appropriate mental health treatment options 1) 1-5 location attracts transients m) We are perceived as "weird" n) Lack of good transit system City Council - Goal Setting March S, 2014 Page 7 of 10 I o) Lack diverse resources to fund all our system needs p) Lack of water security q) Tourist economy is fragile r) Rats and deer s) Aging infrastructure t) Future financial capacity will be challenging u) Airshed can be problematic v) Lack of retail diversity w) Negative perception of our land use regulations x) We tend to over-regulate in order to solve problems y) Perception of arbitrary and capricious land use decision making z) Downtown is at risk for fire and earthquakes aa) Small vocal groups/individuals can make or break development projects bb) We are sometimes too involved in process and not involved enough in results cc) It's difficult logistically for families to live here dd) School schedules are inconsistent , ee) Students lack local social opportunities ff) SOU instability (especially funding model) gg) Uncertainly around Mt. Ashland hh) Lack of workforce housing ii) NIMBY issues jj) Resistance to change kk) Desire to change Ashland in the image of where others came from II) Stalled conservation plan mm) Failure to integrate newcomers into the community nn) Staff near retirement oo) Thin on administrative staff pp) Lack of council support staff qq) Potential loss of institutional memory rr) Lack of succession planning/funding ss) High incidence of drug and alcohol abuse among young people ft) Difficulty in providing competitive pay and benefits to employees uu) Employees can't often afford to live here vv) Lack of diverse stock of housing supply ww) Lack of parking and multi-modal transportation plan xx) Gaps in the health care system 3) Opportunities a) To recognize SOU as a generator of business opportunities b) SOU/city relationships c) E-commerce overlay d) Nurture tech industries and other start-ups e) Nurture emerging markets I City Council - Goal Setting March 8, 2014 Page 8 of 10 f) Market and further develop AFN. Improve penetration/increase related revenues. Retire the debt in 2024. g) Opportunity for energy aggregation h) Engage an educated and resource heavy public in conservation measures i) Make our airport more robust as an enterprise j) Plan for climate change k) To make the watershed safer and increase multi-use opportunities while also protecting its integrity 1) To make better use of our Imperatrice property. m) Croman property redevelopment n) Film industry growth o) City hall replacement p) Clean-up the railroad district and re-use q) Examine underperforming assets r) Take advantage of local talent s) Strengthen local non-profits t) Develop food security locally and regionally (promote local farms, community gardens; friendly ordinances, etc.) u) Optimize the downtown-guide the reinvestment opportunities v) In addition, reinvest and optimize opportunities in other commercial districts w) Position ourselves as an incubator of high-tech x) Leverage our high profile to have more influence in our county and state y) Leverage existing regional relationships to a much greater degree z) Use our relationship with the parks commission to develop a long-term collaborative plan for moving forward aa) To continue to build social equity assets/ideas (example: resource center) to help those in the community at risk bb) Leverage funding and building partnerships to explore new funding opportunities cc) Use existing financial tools to support economic development (e.g. urban renewal, enterprise zones, tax credits, etc.) dd) Use existing experienced leadership to do train and mentor employees cc) Opportunity to use dry seasons to get the community to adopt "water smart" habits ff) Develop freight rail opportunities gg) Review the charter 4) Threats a) Natural disaster b) PERS c) Lack of meaningful home preparedness d) Climate change e) Instability of financial systems f) Water supply insecurity g) Changing economy City Council - Goal Setting March 8, 2014 Page 9 of 10 h) Technology-keeping pace i) Neighboring counties--insecurity j) Aging population k) SOU insecurity/uncertainty 1) Drugs and alcohol culture among youth m) Communication-finding best ways to communicate with our population n) Secure methods of protecting our technology infrastructure o) Pending timber legislation p) Mt. Ashland instability q) Increasing utility rates r) Changing tax base based on relative value of newly created housing s) Future revenue streams don't match up with anticipated service levels t) Future of library services u) State legislation and/or constitutional amendments/initiatives that affect local revenue streams and/or local control v) Federal gridlock w) We have a tendency to be destructive in our public discourse x) Tourism industry disruptions y) Aging tourists z) Uncertainty with rail aa) Lack of participation in government by younger adults, We value: I . Meaningful engagement by Boards, Commissions and members of the public. 2. Ashland as a viable family community. 3. Our institutional, community and regional partnerships. 4. Innovation. 5. Our natural environment. 6. Excellence in governance. 7. Being prepared for climate change. 8. Economic opportunities that sustain a diversity of workers. 9. Excellent city services and infrastructure. 10. Diverse views City Council - Goal Setting March 8, 2014 Page 10 of 10 Goal Topics i Governance Organization Physical Infrastructure Public Safety Economy Health and Human Service Natural and built environment Climate and energy Ashland 2020 - To be completed by June 30, 2014 Next steps: 1) Organize opportunities by goal topic 2) Finalize goal topics 3) Filter opportunity subjects 4) Express surviving opportunities as potential goal statements 5) Choose preliminary goals by consensus or majority vote, if necessary [weed out items for which there isn't agreement] 6) Identify specific objectives for each preliminary goal including measures, resources, and timeline- a) Seek feedback from boards and commissions and public [at some point before finalizing] b) Invite staff input c) Make adjustments as appropriate 7) Tactics are developed by operational departments/entities and review by council 8) Finalize the values list in consideration of the selected goals 9) Consider crafting and adopting mission statement 10) Final adoption by 6/30/14, 11) Compare final strategic plan with 2025 aspirations Session ended 4:45 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Barbara Christensen, City Recorder i C I T Y O F ASHLAND I Memo DATE: December 18, 2013 TO: Mayor & Council FROM: Conservation Commission Mark Weir, Chair RE: 2014-15 Council Goal Setting As a part of the Council's upcoming goal setting session for the remainder of the current biennium and possibly beyond, the Conservation Commission would like to offer its support for continued focus and effort towards a previous Council goal from 2011-12 that was omitted from the most recently 2013 goals list. The Commission feels the goal is closely aligned with its mission and charge and is a topic that the Commission has been actively working on to provide a recommended framework and pathway to move forward on. The goal as stated in the 2011-12 Council Goals document: • Development of a concise sustainability plan for the community and for City operations As you know, the Commission spent considerable time with City staff in 2012 working on the operational plan portion of this goal and with the Council approval of the Operational Sustainability Plan framework, the Commission moved its focus to the development of a similar framework for the community sustainability plan. In the coming months, the Commission will be finalizing a draft Community Sustainability framework plan similar to that of the Operational plan and will be submitting it to Council for its review, comment and approval. The omission of the Community Plan on the current 2013 Goals list was concerning to the Commission, especially given the work done at the sub-committee and full Commission levels to advance the concept from a goal to a plan framework as a means towards meaningful action by Council and the community. The Commission would like to request that Council consider adding the Community Sustainability Plan back into the goal list for 2014-15 with assurances that the Commission feels it is a vital project for the City and the community as we face an uncertain economic and climate future. The Commission feels that there are a multitude of new goals relating to the environment, sustainability, climate change adaptation, and resource efficiency that they could support, but also acknowledge and recognize the importance of all of the different challenges and responsibilities of the Mayor and Council to our community. Again, we thank you for your support of the Commission's efforts and your recognition of the advisory role we play in the process. We want to ensure that you know we are in support of the existing goals and recognize the challenges faced by Council in developing and prioritizing the myriad of important issues and projects to be addressed for the short and long term benefit of the community. City of Ashland Goals i 2013-2015 PUBLIC SAFETY GOAL Public safety and other city agencies, along with the community, collaborate effectively to ensure security for all and improve overall livability. I Obiectives• • Increase safety and security downtown • Review the Emergency Preparedness Plan to include food security, and other shortages of necessities • Mitigate fire hazards in the urban interface • Reduce risks of fire in the city via weed abatement and Firewise landscaping and building practices • Improve public communication and community partnerships re: public safety policies and best practices • Provide modern, fully equipped facilities and equipment for city public safety functions MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE GOAL Collaborate with the community to ensure safe, cost-effective, and sustainable public services, facilities and utilities to meet the urgent, immediate and future needs of Ashland. Obiectives: • Examine the anticipated impacts of climate change on city infrastructure • Evaluate all city infrastructure regarding planning, management, and financial resources • Implement the conservation plan for water and complete the 10-year plan for electric • Promote conservation as a long-term strategy to protect the environment and public utility needs and implement a conservation program over the next three years to reduce water and electric usage by 5 to 10%. • Maintain existing infrastructure to meet regulatory requirements and minimize life-cycle costs • Deliver timely life-cycle capital improvement projects • Maintain and improve infrastructure that enhances the economic vitality of the community • Develop a fee/rate structure that encourages conservation and pays the bills COMMUNITY QUALITY OF LIFE GOAL Anticipate and identify opportunities to provide for the physical, social, economic, and environmental health of the community. Obiectives• • Minimize the incidence and impacts of homelessness • Provide opportunities for those who are struggling to thrive and not just survive in Ashland • Increase the number of intemet-based businesses by 50% in two years • Investigate land-use and funding strategies that provide affordable and workforce housing units • Support and assist foundational relationships with community partners • Establish a permanent jobs commission • Implement Level I implementation strategies of the Economic Development Plan as approved by Council • Review the Downtown Plan including zoning of areas around downtown and create a roadmap for the future planning of downtown • Encourage private development of affordable housing options • Analyze the impacts of increased preservation of historic buildings in Ashland ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNANCE GOAL Provide high quality and effective delivery of the full spectrum of city service and governance in a transparent, accessible and fiscally responsible manner. Obiectives• • Examine and improve communication tools used to communicate with the public • Improve budget and financial reports to be clear, realistic, and effective • Review and evaluate current commissions for their mission and feasibility • Improve communication between commissions and Council • Ensure the efficient and effective use of technology to enhance customer satisfaction • Ensure the availability of front-line personnel for customer contact during business hours PARKS AND RECREATION GOAL Maintain and expand park, recreational, and educational opportunities; provide high quality, efficient and safe services with positive experiences for guests and other i participants while maintaining community participation in the decision-making processes and protecting the environment. 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